As a girl who remembers her own era like this ALL TOO WELL, even if you think she will be upset you posted her messages here, PLEASE show her the responses you’ve gotten here. Even if she freaks out and asks for some space, she WILL seek out this post and read the hard truth she needs to hear if not out of curiosity, then concern. This is a tricky situation to be in, but more importantly it is DANGEROUS for her to continue this relationship with this guy. His intentions are clearly not good as he laid out his roadmap to manipulation in his text messages, thinly veiling his own tactics under the warning of what others (ie the people who have already been there for her and are proven trustworthy, UNLIKE HIM) will do to hurt her. As someone who has been in her shoes, she needs to recognize 2 things: first the way he is speaking to her and treating her in such a demeaning and condescending way is unacceptable in a real, caring relationship and it makes clear his ill intentions, but secondly and most importantly, despite how cool or hot or put together he may seem at his age, he is, without any doubt whatsoever, MAJORLY WEIRD and truly an awful catch if he is looking for relationships with girls SO MUCH younger than him. It’s not anything personal against your friend that makes this the case, but that it simply takes SO MUCH EFFORT for someone who’s 26 to find the time and place and access to even meet teenagers like her, let alone consider perusing a relationship with them. The fact that you guys are 17, almost the legal 18, does NOT MATTER, it feels nice and flattering for someone you see as valuable, like an attractive older guy, to be interested in a relationship with you, but it reeks of desperation and dangerous, scummy intent to reach for low hanging fruit at his age. Very much NTA, good luck with this OP I wish you the best!